TEHRAN – Information and Communication Technology Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said on Sunday that Iran’s satellite launches have never been meant for military purposes or linked to the Islamic Republic’s missile program.

Addressing a ceremony in Tehran to mark National Space Technology Day, Azari Jahromi said some Western states lie by claiming that Iran aims to develop its missile program through launching satellites, Tasnim reported.

Two international organizations monitored Iran’s space program and confirmed that the program is meant for peaceful purposes, but the space program has been targeted with sanctions, he added.

MH/PA